Vyacheslav Samofalov

The soloist of the National Philharmonic of Ukraine (since 1990); People's Artist of Ukraine (2012); Conductor, composer, professor of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts; Member of the National Ukrainian Music Union.

He got his musical education as accordionist from the Donetsk State Music Conservatory (1978-1982, class of V’yazovsky) and Kyiv Tchaikovsky State Conservatory (1982-1989, class of Rizol). Was trained at the Leipzig Higher Music School (Germany). In 2009 he graduated from the Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine as an opera and orchestra conductor (Class of Gnedash).
Vyacheslav Samofalov was a participant of 27 Ukrainian and International Festivals. He is a laureate of famous Accordionists’ Competitions: Third Prize Winner of the Pepublican Competition (in Rivne, 1988); First Prize of the International Competition «CITTA DI CASTELFIDARDO» (Italy, 1999); He has diplomas of International Competition «ASTOR PIAZZOLLA» (Castelfidardo, Italy, 1999) and the International Competition «COUPE MONDIALE» (Copenhagen, Denmark, 2002).
He has toured in Russia, Belarus, Poland, Hungary, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Peru, Colombia, El Salvador, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Denmark, and Sweden.
Samofalov as a performer and conductor made a lot of audio and video recordings, including "Playing of W. Samofalov" (1989); two CDs of "Rizol quartet" (J.R.C., 2000); B. Abdi - "Symphony of the Sun" (2005); recordings of Ukrainian Radio Fund.

Vyacheslav Samofalov was awarded with Certificat of Merit by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine (2007); with highest honorary award "Georgiy Peremozhets" of second degree (2012) and with the same award of the first degree (2013) on the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine Filaret.
In 2013, a minor planet of the solar system was named by Samofalov name: / 262,418 Samofalov (2006 UV61), NASA - Jet Propulsion Laboratory/.
In 2014, Samofalov’s work "AVE MARIA" received the blessing of His Holiness Pope Francesco.